Hibs face make or break start to Euro race run-in as SPFL Premiership post-split fixtures revealed

Hibs face all-or-nothing clashes with their nearest rivals in the opening two rounds of post-split fixtures - giving David Gray’s men a chance to turn the race for Europe into a short, sharp sprint. The SPFL Scottish Premiership fixtures have just been announced and, while there are no surprises in the home-and-away split handed to Hibs, the identity of their first two opponents will raise a few eyebrows.

Currently sitting third, three points clear of both Aberdeen and Dundee United, Gray’s team - who also boast a massively superior goal difference to their two closest contenders - travel to Pittodrie on Saturday, April 26. Hibs beat the Dons in the Granite City back in December, running out comfortable 3-1 victors, and a repeat performance could effectively kill off Jimmy Thelin’s chances of leading the Reds to the unofficial ‘Best of the Rest’ title behind Scottish football’s big two.

Hibs follow that journey up the M90 by welcoming United to Easter Road on Saturday, May 3. In another example of the SPFL front-loading the drama in the race for European places, that’s a second straight fixture that could go a long way to deciding who finishes in third place - a prize that will guarantee UEFA Conference League group stage football IF champions-elect Celtic go on to win the Scottish Cup.

Surprisingly, Hibs have been snubbed by TV bosses during the closing five-game stretch, with none of their games picked for live broadcast. As expected, Gray’s men also face a third trip to Paisley of the season as the SPFL look to balance out the number of home and away games played by each team - a negative made all the more inconvenient for fans by St Mirren away being slotted into the one midweek card remaining.

17-game unbeaten run puts Easter Road side on same record as Famous Five

Hibs will head to Celtic Park for the FOURTH time this season - two of those visits coming in the League Cup and Scottish Cup - on the penultimate weekend of the season. And they’ll round off a campaign of extreme emotions with the visit of Rangers on Saturday, May 17.

Gray is cautiously optimistic about his team’s chances of holding onto third spot, with their remarkable 17-game unbeaten run in the league putting them on a par with the Famous Five-era title winners of 1948. The first-year head coach said: “All I can ask the players is to give us the best opportunity - and we've certainly delivered that when the split came. We're now in third position.

“The one thing I would say now is, the challenge for us is if we keep winning, nobody can catch us. That's the one thing I keep saying to the players all the time. The players are desperate to keep that run going. There's a real feel-good factor around the club at the minute.”

Euro sprint - those Hibs games in full (3 pm KO unless stated):

April 26 - Aberdeen A

May 3 - Dundee United H

May 10 - Celtic A

May 14 - St Mirren A (7.45 pm)

May 17 Rangers H (12.30 pm)

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